The Seocho Youth Counseling and Welfare Center has strengthened its support system for the mental health of high-risk youths by signing an MOU with the Catholic University Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital’s Life Love Crisis Response Center.
In an effort to protect adolescents at risk of suicide and self-harm, Seocho District has established a cooperative system with the hospital. On the 11th, Seocho Youth Counseling and Welfare Center and Seocho Out-of-school Youth Support Center Dream announced the signing of a business agreement with the Catholic University’s Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital Life Love Crisis Response Center.
The core of this agreement is early intervention and the establishment of a one-stop support system for high-risk youth. The two organizations aim to link counseling and medical services to provide immediate intervention and continuous management. The goal is to effectively operate a professional counseling and medical support system for suicide attempters and high-risk groups.
According to statistics from the Seocho Youth Counseling and Welfare Center, of the 1,142 youths who received counseling in 2024, 930, or 81.4%, were classified as high-risk for mental health crises. Among them, 65 are being managed as a suicide and self-harm high-risk group. With adolescent mental health problems becoming increasingly serious, establishing a regional response system is urgently needed.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is promoting a “high-risk focused psychological clinic” centered around nationwide youth counseling and welfare centers, and the Seocho Center has formed a crisis management team to operate an integrated response system that connects early detection to case management and follow-up. They are also enhancing expertise through psychological evaluations, regular case meetings, and counselor training.
Mi-ra Yang, the head of the Seocho Youth Counseling and Welfare Center and the Seocho Out-of-school Youth Support Center Dream, commented, “This agreement has laid the foundation for a practical and rapid response. We will strengthen the local safety net for high-risk youth at risk of suicide and self-harm.”
The Seocho Youth Counseling and Welfare Center is operated by the Blue Tree Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Seocho District, providing psychological counseling, treatment, and welfare services to youths aged 9 to 24. Dream offers independence support and career programs for out-of-school youth.